Correctional Nursing-Last Stop For Nurses who can't make it anywhere else

nurse4cons · Jun 15, 2003

I am 45 years old and have been a nurse for 16 years. Ive worked in all aspects of nursing from clinical to ER. I was looking for a change and wanted to try Corrections. I am very strong and outspoken with a Los Angeles Gang background. I think after 3 years now I have found my place on earth. I believe that I can make a difference in someones life, not at the moment but I bet they will think back someday and remember what I told them. Nursing equals Compassion: Behind bars as well.

travelbug · Jun 19, 2003

Thanks everyone for the insight into Corrections nursing, now I only have to decide what company to go with and where, any suggestions would be very appreciated. Is the pay good? :rolleyes:

renerian, BSN, RN · Jun 19, 2003

I see this topic is back again LOL. I can feel heat on my back from previous flames LOL.

renerian:eek:

toughbug · Jul 13, 2003

I'm really sorry about your experience as a Correctional Nurse. My question is: were you employed by a county, state or federal facility? It makes a difference. I am employed by a federal prison. The work conditions in our medical department are more sanitary than a hospital's, the pay and benefits are a lot better, and the quality of healthcare professionals? Top notch. I work with highly educated, experienced health professionals. I worked as a Licensed Paramedic for four years, the ER as a RN for one year. I have two degrees. Working in a federal prison for over three years, I have to adhere to the state nurse practice act and federal regulations, policy and procedures. I went through an extensive background check. Had to train at a federal law enforcement academy for three weeks. I train once a year in self-defense and I have to qualify with a M-16 assault rifle, 9mm handgun, and a 12 gauge shotgun every year. I must know my job and the correctional officer's job. Our department has received a "superior rating" with Joint Commission the past three reviews. I can hold my own in the ER, on the ambulance or in prison. I'm sorry: the comment on the type of nurses that work there are greatly false. Those kind of nurses are everywhere. NOT just corrections. P.S. Orca hit the nail on the head.

renerian, BSN, RN · Jul 14, 2003

Wowowowow toughbug......I still say people who work in corrections are very brave!

renerian

Orca, ADN, ASN, RN · Jul 14, 2003

Travelbug,

It depends upon who you work for. I work for the Nevada Department of Corrections, and my pay compares favorably with area hospitals. In other states, it isn't so good. California in particular pays very well (I have seen some of their ads in the Las Vegas papers). As far as working conditions, I had rather be at the prison than the hospital hands down. We don't have the kind of staffing issues that hospitals have, and if I get sued, the attorney general represents me (that hasn't happened so far).

Two of our prisons have contracts with private companies. One is for the medical area only, and the other prison is entirely privately run. Neither has made a profit, and both companies are on their way out. The state has already assumed control of the facility that was contracted for medical only, and we are in the process of taking over the private facility. What was happening was that the private companies wanted any inmates transferred out who might cost them money, so the state was absorbing the cost anyway to keep them profitable. The state was, in effect, subsidising the contractor. The entirely private facility has been a total fiasco (Corrections Corporation of America). They haven't been able to keep staff, and their record keeping has been atrocious, by all accounts (that is why many of the staff have left).

MrsK1223 · Jul 23, 2003

I have recently applied for a job in a federal prison. I have been waiting for an opening for a long time to come along. I have worked on my KSA's for months. Keep your fingers crossed.

Honda · Aug 6, 2003

I chose to work corrections. I have been a nurse for 13 years. I came out of administration to work in corrections. Do I sound like a "bad nurse" Yeah right!

smk4450 · Aug 19, 2003

From a Ex San Quentin Nurse- there are nurses working for the State to receive the Benes and do a poor job of Pt Care; handing a basin of wash water to a multi stabbing victim or refusing to wash the transfer inmate due to his nasty tirade against the system or the sad care of the paralyzed inmate. And the refusal of State Nurses of accepting normal standards of care " They are all gang members, etc!"

There are tons of great Correctional Nurses working today; but, the many crappy nurses make it difficult to maintain standards of care as recognized and paid for by the Corrections Systems, Sh

Crawsu · Aug 20, 2003

OK, as in any profession, there are good and bad practioners. However, in corrections, as in any field of nursing, we are the patient's advocate. Doesn't matter what they did or anything else. You are there as the patient advocate. You learn to discern BS from true medical problems as much as is possible, you look for objective data, and try to do the best you can for your patient, no matter whether a scumbag or not. That's the job. We are not there to judge, we are there to treat medical problems. It all comes down to CYA, in the real world. It's not up to the nurse to make decisions as to treatment, but you are still obligated to treat all with no regard to what crime they are accused of, or how obnoxious or unpleasant that patient might be. Really not that much different than any other specialty, you are trying to do the best you can for that particular patient. Yea, he may be a child molester, murderer, whatever...we are there to tend to medical problems, not judge...if you can't handle that, then corrections is not your field. You must be able to build a rapport with the CO's, because they are there to protect you from the crazies and violent offenders. Once that is acheived, they will respect your requests and decisions, no matter whether the inmate is accused of an horrendous crime or not. It is a rewarding field, in that you are on the front lines and get a little bit of everything. I have found it to be a more collegial environment as most of our Docs value our assessments and will OK transport to ER on just your intuition that something is wrong. I really don't believe that "bad" nurses stay in the profession that long, because you will be sued or called to task for bad decisions. Believe me, most inmates get better health care than the public in general, simplly because of the threat of being sued, whether valid or not, many institutions settler out of court to avoid protracted, expensive court cases, and the inmates know that and take advantage of it.

NurseAngie · Sep 15, 2003

Originally posted by sjoe
Reading the following book will help explain where much of this pointless negativity comes from, namely successful inmate manipulation of staff:
"Games Criminals Play: How You Can Profit by Knowing Them
by Bud Allen & Diana Bosta "

I just finished reading this book (with the ugly yellow cover!) and it really opened my eyes. A must read for anyone working in corrections!

~Angie

tazpint · Jan 19, 2004

What I love about nursing is there are so many areas to work in and experience. Everyone is not made for ER,OB,Surg, or Corrections. I belive it takes a special person to be able to handle the setting of prisons and jails and talented to know the BS the inmates try to pull on you. If you are a competent,no-nonsense nurse when dealing with them, they actually have more respect for you as a nurse. The person who had the problem working in a corrections setting is just not made for that environment and is using her comments as an excuse to leave. I love the setting myself, but I have decided to do travel nursing for a while and would like any help finding an agency who places nurses in the corrections settings. Thanks for any help!